Door-operating mechanism for hopper cars



Manch 31 A. WASIJBERG ET AL DOOR OPERATING MEGHANISM FOR HQPPER CARS Filed Aprlil' 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ',:Mgrch 31, 1931.

DOOR

A` WASBERG ET AL OPERATING MECANISM FOR HQPPER CARS Filed April fic;- 5

29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES ori-ICE AXEL wAsBERG AND KENNETH J. ToBIN, or cIIIcAedILLINoIs, AssIGNoRs To CAMEL COMIANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS DOOR-OPERATING MECHANI'SM FOR HOPPER CARS Application filed April 29,

This invention relates to door operating and securing mechanism for hopper cars, and concerns itself with means that will facilitate the opening and closing movements of the 5 door on hopper cars and that will securely hold the doors in closed position.

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out o and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views.

e' On the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a hopper car illustrating the application of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view 2e of the hopper car.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken upon the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line IV--IV of Figure 2.

As shown on the drawings:

In the drawings there is shown a portion of a railway car having a hopper, which consists of a stationary side 1, ends 2, and a door 3, which is hinged to the Car upon the side of the hopper opposite the stationary side.

The invention in its broadest aspect consists of a member which is pivoted to the door 3, and a member pivoted to the stationary side 1 with means for pivotally connecting said members. The arrangement is prefer ably such that thetension of the first member, when the car is in closed position, will tend to swing the second member in an upward direction. In other words, when the car is in closed position, the two members are off dead center with the result that the tension in the first member will tend to cause the same to swing in the opposite direction from that which is required to open the door.

-3 The door 1 is hinged at its upper end by means of hinges 4, so that it may swing outwardly at its lower end as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

In the illustrated form of the invention,

J the aforementioned members are in the form 1929. seriaiNo. 358,904.

of yok'es' 5 and 6. The yoke 5 is pivoted-to the door by suitableineans. In the present instance,'a transverse Z bar is attached 'tothe door 3 anda metal band or strip S is attached above each angle? and ext-ends over theyoke. The yoke 6 is pivoted to the side l of the'h'opper by side bearingl brackets 9, which are secured tothe side of thehopper.

It -will be noted' that thefarmsy of the rtwo yok'es are'fsufcientlyspaced apart so that the saine will pass along the .ends of the hopper as shown in'Figure'S. i Means are provided'for pivotallyconnectingthe ends of the two yokes. In the' present instance, this means is shown as consisting. .ofl a rod l0 which passes through suitable apertures in thetwo ends of the yokes.' A latehll which Vis. inthe form of a hook is pivoted to the stationary wall 1 of the hopper 'and isadapted for engaging yover the rod 10"for maintaining the parts in therp'osition shown in F igure'i. With reference to Figure -lait will benoted that the pull'or tensiony of the yoke 5 is in a directionabove the pivoted part of the yoke" 6with the result wthat there is a tendency to impart anupward turning movement lto the yoke 6. This tendency serves to maintai'n'the' yoke 6 against swinging downwardlyand releasing theidoor. Then the door 3 is'in closedposition, it will be noted that thefyokesare off deadcenter. The operation-'ofthe foregoing `described structurels as follows:

" s'sumethat the door 8 is in closed position',"and the'yokes are in operative iriosition,

as Y'shown in full lines in Figure 4." To open thedo'or,'theopeijator will swinglatch ll out` of .engagementfwithztherod 1Q.' 'After this' has been'idone, the :operator may use a v cilow'bar C. (Figg't') to force ther'rodO diwii'- wards andY swing "the, yokeI downwardly. This movemgnt will carry". the yoke' '5 therewith and when they'okei has beeny swung'into a'positin as .shown'in' 'dottedilinesl in Figure upwardly it will be appreciated that there is Y very little, if any, liability for the yokes to come unlatehed and allow the door to accidentally open. Y

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a very simple and effective mechanism has been provided for operating hopperdoors and maintain the same in closed position. It will be further appreciated that the mechanism may bepreadily applied to existing hopper ears as well as upon new one's. Y

IVe claim' as our invention:

l. In a car having a hopper, a door hinged to one side of said hopper, a. yoke pivoted to said door and having its arm extend along the outside of said hopper toward the other' side, a second yoke pivoted tol the other side of said hopper, a rod connecting the end of the two yokes, and a latch hook Vpivoted to the stationary side ofsaidhopper for engag ing said rod, said second yoke being 01T center with respect to the first yoke when said door is in closed position.

2. In a car havino a hopper, a door pivoted to one side of thelhopper, the other side oi' said hopper being stationary, a yoke pivoted to said door, a yoke pivoted to the stationary side of said hopper, means for pivotally connecting said yokes and means for securing said yokes upon the stationary side of said hopper.

3. In a oar having a hopper, adoor hinged Y to one side of said hopper, -a yoke pivoted to said do-or,'said yoke having arms extending toward the other side of said hopper, and' means for releasably securing said yoke to the other side of said hopper,v

LVI-na car having ahpper, a door hinged to one side of said hopper, a yoke pivoted to said door, an auxiliary yoke pivoted to the opposite side of said hopper, means for connecting the ends of said yokes for simultaneously swingingmove'ment, and means for securing :said yokes in door closing position, the arrangement being'such that the first yoke will exercise an upward swinging movement with respect to the second yoke when the door is in closed position.-

V5. In a car having a hopper, a door hinged to one side ofsaid hopper, the other side of said hopper being closed, a member pivoted to said door, asecond member pivoted to the stationary side of said hopper and intermediate the top and bottom thereof, a con*- neotion between said members and a'latch hook pivoted Ato thevstationary side of the .hopper and engaging said connection and malntainlng said members agalnst downty, Illinois. u

Y i AXEL y `VASBERGr.

KENNETH J TOBIN. y, 

